Eddie Jordan negotiating deal to become Rutgers coach

Eddie Jordan has emerged as a leading candidate for the Rutgers coaching vacancy.(Photo: Howard Smith, USA TODAY Sports)

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Eddie Jordan spent the weekend in New Jersey negotiating a deal to become Rutgers' new coach

An announcement could come as early as Tuesday

Jordan currently serves as an assistant with the Lakers

The man who handed Eddie Jordan the keys to the Princeton-style offense has some advice for the soon-to-be Rutgers men's basketball coach.

"I hope the first thing he does is forget about that offense," Pete Carril said Saturday. "Today's player doesn't seem to like that offense anymore."

The 82-year-old Carril was half-joking, but half-serious. The offense he perfected in three decades at Princeton mutated on its journey from Old Nassau to the NBA. Jordan played a big part in the evolution, mastering it when he and Carril coached together with the Sacramento Kings and taking it to the New Jersey Nets, where a version form-fitted around Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin appeared in back-to-back NBA Finals.

Jordan, who spent this season as a Los Angeles Lakers assistant, has been in New Jersey since Saturday trying to hammer out a deal to become Rutgers' 18th head coach. He still owns a home in Montgomery, which is a long outlet pass from Carril's old stomping grounds.

Barring a surprise derailment, an announcement by Rutgers could come Tuesday. Consummation takes time as the school does its due diligence and Jordan ties up whatever loose ends he has.

"He always reminded me of the fact that he played Princeton five times, so that's how he learned the offense," Carril said of Jordan, who went 4-1 against the Tigers as Rutgers' point guard from 1973-77.

Jordan's stock as a strategist took off during his assistantship with the Nets because it showed that Carril's baby wasn't all shot-clock milking and backdoor cutting.

"It's not a modern-day offense, so you take parts that assimilate well to the way NBA players want to do things," Carril said. "Make sure there's a pick-and-roll in there. With the Nets, he doctored the offense because he had a good point guard."

The classic Princeton offense has no real positions aside from a center. Everyone else spaces the perimeter and passes the ball until either a driving lane opens, a cutter breaks through or, if the defense helps in the paint, someone shoots a 3-pointer. The closest cousin being used on a high-profile level is by Georgetown. But even that is different from the original, and Hoyas coach John Thompson---who played point guard for Carril and later coached the Tigers---bristles when someone in the media slaps the "Princeton" label on his team.

No matter what form the offense takes, there are three bedrock requisites.

First and foremost is a postman who, in Carril's words, "can pass the ball and likes to pass the ball," but is also enough of an offensive threat to draw doubles and collapse defenses. The best Princeton team in modern times was quarterbacked by center Steve Goodrich, an Ivy League Player of the Year who played briefly in the NBA and enjoyed a fine career on the European pro circuit.

Second is the presence of multiple players who are efficient 3-point shooters. In an ideal Princeton offense, the four-non centers on the court can drill an open shot from deep.

Third is a collectively high basketball IQ. That starts with a finely tuned awareness of proper spacing, which is the easiest way to get an open jump shot. Across-the-board unselfishness also is critical. One ball hog or over-dribbler can gum up the works. These are things that can be coached up, given the proper level of buy-in by the players.

At a glance, the roster Jordan is poised to inherit possesses only bits of those qualities. Myles Mack is an efficient shooter. Fellow sophomore guard Jerome Seagears would be a second one if he decides to return (he's already received a transfer waiver). Eli Carter is an explosive scorer but a streaky shooter who would have to be reined in.

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As for the post presence, sophomore Kadeem Jack seems like the Scarlet Knights' only offensive threat inside, and none of their bigs have demonstrated passing skill.

Of course, Jordan would recruit to fill the gaps. Right now Rutgers is woefully thin at wing with no true small forwards on board for next season. Senior-to-be Mike Poole could defend opposing wings but is more of a two-guard, and that's it. Junior college commit Craig Brown will add depth at the spot if he honors his pledge, but another incoming JUCO wing, Chris Griffin, switched his commitment to Auburn on Sunday.

It goes without saying that the new coach faces a big rebuilding job. Carril, who is retired and recently moved back to New Jersey, said he would be willing to lend a hand to his former protege.

"If he wants me to help him, I definitely will – to a minimal degree," Carril said. "I'm old now. I always took pride in the fact that when I went to show a guy a drill move, I could do it. I can't do that anymore. I've got a bad case of arthritis. You can't do too much with that darn stuff."

At the very least, Carril said, he will be watching and cheering.

"I'll follow Rutgers now and after Princeton I will become a fan of the team," he said. "At the same time, forget about the Princeton offense."